Joseph Ocol, a Cebuano math teacher, received the prestigious 2013 Kathy Osterman Finalist Award last November 12 in Chicago, Illinois where he has been working for 14 years.
Ocol was one of two teachers chosen for their contributions in education and public service. He was cited for organizing a unique mentoring after-school program for high school and elementary school students in a violence-prone area of Chicago.
Teaching youth chess and math developed their critical thinking skills and kept them out of trouble with youth gangs.
One of his students became a national chess champion in the Super Nationals held last April in Nashville, Tennessee.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was on hand to congratulate Ocol and other awardees at the ceremony attended by business, government, labor, school and civic leaders at the Winter Garden of Harold Washington Library.
The Kathy Osterman Award is given by the City of Chicago to individuals for exceptional professional work and public service, a tradition that spans the past 45 years.
Ocol is also president of the Catanduanes Institute of Technology Foundation, Inc. (CITFI) and returns to the Philippines every year to his father’s hometown of Virac, Catanduanes to oversee the school’s humanitarian efforts in educating students from poor families.
Ocol, who was born in Cebu City, has also conducted lectures for teachers and prospective teachers in the Philippines. He moved to the United States in 1999 and taught math at Chicago Public Schools.
Recently, he received a letter of appreciation from President Barack Obama, and a Chicago City Council resolution signed by Mayor Emanuel.
“I dedicate this award to the Lord, to my late parents, to the teachers, staff and students of CITFI and to all my students and fellow teachers in Chicago, for without them I would have no inspiration,” Ocol said.
Asked how he felt about winning the award during his short stint in Chicago and yet none from Catanduanes despite 20 years of supporting the school and low-income students, Ocol said he was glad the award was based on merit.
“In Chicago it is not who you know but how much you have done for public service. In the Philippines, certain awards entail who you know and palakasan (influence peddling).
“I would be happy to receive an award even from a lowly barangay tanod of Virac basta wala lang bayaran at wala lang palakasan. But I leave everything to the Lord because the best award of all will come from Him,” he said. EILEEN G.MANGUBAT